It is said that the country of produce evokes a lot of emotions about the product, much like a brand. Citizens of the country feel strongly about products made in their country and feel a lot of pride in using it. Companies also take a lot of pride in country branding and prominently display it in their label.

This pride is also passed on to consumers of another country – it isn’t uncommon for someone to take pride in a Swiss made watch, a French perfume, a German car etc.

Many countries have earned their pride and place because of years on consistency in the quality of the produce and innovation. Others had to fight it out to displace popular perception of a negative image in favour of a better one; Japan had to fight the kind of perception about poor quality products post WWII and emerged as one of the most respected in the world. Indeed, the “Made in Japan” tag along with any electronics, consumer durables or automotive is synonymous with innovation and quality. South Korea is another nation that has risen from the ashes like a Phoenix and is home to the global giants LG, Samsung and Hyundai. Even Taiwan, the small island nation is a country synonymous with innovation in hardware and technology; indeed, brands like Acer, HTC, BenQ have made tremendous inroads into international markets.

Speaking of making inroads, China is a nation that is fast catching up and is making great progress in revamping their image as a producer. The Made in China label is looked upon with little scepticism today.

So that brings me to the central question, where does India stand? What does the “Made in India” label evoke?

 We have made great strides in information technology over the past decade and we stand head to head with the great IT giants in the world; Indian multinational companies sell everything from automotives to tractors to consumers worldwide.

However, the “Made in India” label still leaves a lot to be desired.  Our products are still not universally synonymous with innovation and quality. There are examples all around us; a few months back as I was strolling through an electronics retail outlet, I was appalled to see the quality and finish of Indian made laptops.  I won’t even go into consumer durables and automobiles where the plastic is tacky, the labelling is amateurish and the overall experience makes you wonder if design, user experience were ever a priority.
The difference in the quality of execution between Indian made products and those made by the top industrial nations is glaring.

This doesn’t just apply to tangible products; I had a conversation with a friend who is a Vice President with an advertising agency and he was of the opinion that although our visualisation and ideas are world class, our execution is not. Even countries like Indonesia and Thailand do a better job. There is a tendency to leave the job half baked.

As India marches on, the Indian consumer is all the more discerning as she is exposed to world class products and services. In this world of liberal choices, manufacturers and designers can’t hide under the garb of patriotism and deliver mediocre products.  Quality and design excellence cannot be an afterthought, it has to be built into the core of the product development.

I’m hopeful that such aberrations will soon be replaced with world class products. When that happens, consumers around the world will be proud to own an Indian product. When that day arrives, a billion hearts will swell with pride.